While this list of famous inventor’s names is by no means complete, it does give you an idea of how simple some inventions can be. As an example, where would we be today if Robert Recorde hadn’t invented the equals (=) sign!
Other famous inventor’s names on this list are Charles Macintosh’s raincoat, and Eli Whitney’s cotton gin. I was surprised to read all these famous inventor’s names and see that Eli Whitney had a great deal of controversy surrounding his patent with many people copying his designs. While he did fight the infringers in court, his wins were too late for him to see any real money from his invention. An important lesson we all need to remember as inventors.
We have all learned about many of these famous inventor’s names and their great inventions in school but I thought it would be an inspiration if you could just quickly glance at this list of famous inventor’s names and the inventions in order to leanr a little more about the people who created them.
Of all my personal favorite famous inventor’s names on the list, Adolph Rickenbacker stand out the most because he is the creator of the electric guitar.
I do not know how Amundson invented the south pole but I am sure it was difficult for him to get there. Some of these famous inventor’s names are a bit odd as inventors like Christopher Columbus and Sir Isaac Newton since they really didn’t invent anything but their contributions to the world are still just as notable. I guess it goes to show that even these guys took credit for someone else’s invention. No wonder mother nature has been acting up the past few years!
Maybe someday your name will appear along side these famous inventor’s names!
Inventor’s Name |
Invention |
A. Celsius |
Centrigrade scale |
A.L. and J.L. Lumiere |
Cinema (moving pictures) |
A.L. Breguet |
Watch |
A.Parker |
Celluloid (movie film) |
Adolph Rickenbacker |
electric guitar |
Alessandro Volta |
Electric Battery (acid based) |
Alexander Fleming |
Penicillin |
Alexanderson |
Radio transmitter |
Alfred B. Nobel |
Dynamite |
Alfred Binet |
I.Q. Test |
Alfred Kinsey |
Human Sexuality |
Alfred Wegener |
Continental Drift |
American Viscose Co. |
Rayon |
Amundson (1912) |
South Pole |
Anderson |
Positive Electrons |
Andreas Vesalius |
New Anatomy |
Andre-Marie Ampere |
Galvanometer |
Antoine Joseph Sax |
Saxophone |
Antoine Laurent |
Revolution in |
Archimedes |
Specific Gravity |
Archimedes |
Principle for lever |
Archimedies |
Archimedean Screw |
Arthur Eddington |
Modern Astronomy |
August Kekule |
Chemical Structure |
Avogadro |
Avogadro’s Hypothesis |
B. F. Goodrich |
Zipper |
B. F. Skinner |
Behaviorism |
Baird |
Television |
Bardeen, Shockley, |
Transistor |
Benjamin Franklin |
Bifocal Lens |
Benjamin Franklin |
Lightning Conductor |
Bessemer |
Steel Melting Process |
Binet |
Intelligence test |
Bohr |
Electron Theory |
Bohr and Rutherford |
Atomic Structure |
Boyle |
Boyle’s law |
Braille |
Printing for the Blind |
Braun, Dr.Wernher Von |
Space flying |
Broquett |
Helicopter |
Bunsen |
Spectroscope |
C. F. Brush |
Arc Lamp |
C. Hugyens |
Clock (pendulum) |
C. Sholes |
Typewriter |
C.V.Raman |
Crystal Dynamics |
C.V.Raman |
Raman effect |
Carl Gauss (Karl |
Mathematical Genius |
Carl Linnaeus |
Binomial Nomenclature |
Carlton Mcgee |
Parking meter |
Carothers |
Nylon Plastic |
Cartwright |
Powerloom |
Casimir Funk |
Vitamin B1 |
Cavandish |
Rare Gas |
Cavendish |
Hydrogen |
Chadwick |
Neutron |
Chandrasekhar |
Mathematical Astro |
Charles Babbage |
Computer |
Charles Babbage |
Difference engine |
Charles Darwin |
Evolution |
Charles Darwin |
Evolution (theory) |
Charles Darwin |
Origin of Species |
Charles Goodyear |
rubber (vulcanized) |
Charles Goodyear |
Vulcanised Rubber |
Charles Lyell |
Modern Geology |
Charles Macintosh |
Raincoat |
Charles Macintosh |
Rubber (waterproof) |
Charles Macintosh |
Waterproof Rubber |
Charles Sherrington |
Neurophysiology |
Chester Carlson |
zerox machine |
Christiaan Huygens |
Wave Theory of Light |
Christian Barnard |
Replacing human heart |
Christopher Cockerell |
Hovercraft |
Claude Bernard |
Founding of Modern |
Claude Levi-Strauss |
Structural |
Col. J. Schick |
Razor (electric) |
Columbus (1492) |
West Indies |
Conrad Elvehjem |
Vitamin Niacin |
Copernicus (1540) |
Solar System |
Coulomb |
Fundamental Laws of |
D. T. Smith, E. G. |
Vitamin B2 |
Daimler |
Automobile |
Dalton |
Atomic Theory |
Dalton |
Laws of Multiple |
Darwin |
Laws of Natural |
Darwin |
Theory of Evolution |
Dauguerre |
Photograph |
David Brewster |
Kaleidoscope |
David Bushnell |
Submarine |
Dewar |
Liquid Oxygen |
Dewar |
Thermos Flasks |
Dmitri Mendeleev |
Periodic Table of |
Domagk |
Sulpha Drugs |
Dr. A.H. Taylor and |
Radar |
Dr. Alan M. Turing |
Electronic Computer |
Dr. Lee de Forest |
Film (with sound) |
Dr. Richard Gatling |
Machine Gun |
Dr. Wallace H. |
Nylon |
Dr. William Stokes, |
Stethoscope |
Dr.Hargobiad Khorana |
Deciphering the |
Dr.Paul Muller |
D.D.T. |
Dr.Philip Drinker |
Drinker’s Chamber of |
Dr.Sigmund Freud |
Psycho-analysis |
E.G. Otis |
Lift |
Edison |
Incandescent Bulb |
Edison |
Phonograph |
Edmund Cartwright |
Power Loom |
Edward Jenner |
Vaccination |
Edward Mellanby |
Vitamin D |
Edward O. Wilson |
Sociobiology |
Edward Teller |
Bomb |
Edwin Hubble |
Modern Telescope |
Eijkman |
Beri – Beri |
Einstein |
Theory of Relativity |
Elisha G. Otis |
Elevator |
Elmer V. McCollum |
Vitamin B |
Elmer V. McCollum and |
Vitamin A |
Emil Fischer |
Organic Chemistry |
Enrico Fermi |
Atomic Physics |
Ernest Rutherford |
Structure of the Atom |
Ernst Haeckel |
Biogenetic Principle |
Ernst Mayr |
Evolutionary Theory |
Erwin Schrodinger |
Wave Mechanics |
Euclid |
Foundations of |
Euclid |
Geometry |
Evangelista Torricelli |
Barometer |
F.Banting |
Insulin |
Fahrenheit |
Fahrenheit Scale |
Fahrenheit |
Mercury Thermometer |
Faraday |
Electricity |
Faraday |
Induction of Electric |
Faraday |
Law of Electrolysis |
Francis Crick |
Molecular Biology |
Francis Galton |
Eugenics |
Frank Whittle |
Jet Propulsion |
Franz Boas |
Modern Anthropology |
Frederick Sanger |
Genetic Code |
Friese-Greene |
Cine camera |
Fulton |
Steam boat |
G. Bradshaw |
Scooter |
G. Claude |
Neon-lamp |
G. Ferdinand Von |
Airship (rigid) |
G. Marconi |
Radio |
Galileo |
Telescope |
Galileo Galilei |
New Science |
Galileo Gallei |
Thermometer |
Gauss |
Electric Measurement |
Gay Lussac |
Law of gases |
George Eastman |
Camera |
George Gaylord Simpson |
Tempo of Evolution |
George Westinghouse |
Air Brake |
Gertrude Belle Elion |
Pharmacology |
Gottlieb Daimler |
Carburetor |
Gottlieb Daimler |
Carburettor |
Gregor Mendel |
Laws of Inheritance |
Gregory Mandel |
Laws of Heredity |
Gustav Kirchhoff |
Spectroscopy |
H. W. Seeley |
Electric Flat Iron |
H.C.Urey |
Deuterium (Heavy |
H.W. Seeley |
Electric iron |
Hadley |
Sextant |
Hahnemann |
Homoeopathy |
Hans Bethe |
Energy of the Sun |
Hans Selye |
Stress Concept |
Harry Brearley |
Stainless Steel |
Harvey |
Blood Circulation |
Heike Kamerlingh |
Superconductivity |
Heitz |
Electrical Waves |
Henry Becquerel |
Radio-activity of Uranium |
Henry Bessemer |
Steel production |
Henry Great Head |
Life Boat |
Herbert Evans and |
Vitamin E |
Hermann Fottinger |
Automatic gearbox |
Hermann von Helmholtz |
Rise of German Science |
Herschel William |
Uranus (Planet) |
Hideki Yakawa |
Meson |
Hippalus |
Scientific astronomy |
Hoffman |
Aniline Dyes |
Hopkins and Funk |
Vitamins |
Hsing and Ling-Tsan |
Clock (machanical) |
Isaac Newton |
Newtonian Revolution |
J. Froelich |
Tractor |
J. Whinfield and H. |
Terylene |
J.B. Dunlop |
Bicycle Tyre |
J.C. Perier |
Ship (steam) |
J.C.Bose |
Crescograph |
J.E. Lurdstrom |
Match (safety) |
J.J.Thomson |
Electrons |
Jacob Schick |
Electric razor |
Jacques and Joseph |
Balloon |
James Clerk Maxwell |
Electromagnetic Field |
James Hargreaves |
Spinning jenny |
James Harrison and |
Chloroform |
James Harrison, |
Refrigerator |
James Lind |
Vitamin C |
James Watson |
Structure of DNA |
James Watt |
Steam Engine |
James Watt |
Steam engine |
Jean Baptiste Lamarck |
Foundations of Biology |
Jean Piaget |
Child Development |
Johann Phillip Reis, |
Microphone |
Johann Vaaler |
Paper clip |
Johannes Gutenberg |
Printing Press |
Johannes Kepler |
Motion of the Planets |
John Boyd Dunlop |
Pneumatic Tyres |
John Dalton |
Theory of the Atom |
John Harrison |
Chronometer |
John J. Loud |
Ball-Point Pen |
John Logie Baird |
Television |
John Napier |
Logarithmic Tables |
John Napier |
Logarithms |
John von Neumann |
Modern Computer |
Joseph Aspdin |
Cement |
Joseph J. Thomson |
Electron |
Joule, James Prescoft |
Measurement of |
Joules |
Mechanical Equivalent |
K.G. Gillete |
Raazor (safety) |
Karl Benz |
Automobiles using |
Karl Benz |
Gasoline engine |
Karl Butler |
Motor Car (petrol) |
Karl Landsteiner |
Blood Groups |
Kepler |
Laws of Planetary |
King C. Gillette |
Safety Razor |
Kirkpatrick Macmillan |
Bicycle |
Kodak |
Film & |
Konrad Lorenz |
Ethology |
Lablanc |
Washing Soda |
Lawrence |
Cyclotron |
Lee-de-Frost |
Talkies |
Leo H Baekeland |
Bakelite |
Levi Strauss |
Jeans |
Lewis E. Waterman |
Fountain Pen |
Lippman |
Coloured Photography |
llly Brandt |
T.N.T. |
Lockyer |
Helium Gas |
Lord Joseph Lister |
Antiseptic Surgery |
Lord Kelvin |
Dynamical theory of |
Louis Braille |
Braille |
Louis Pasteur |
Germ Theory of Disease |
Louis Pasteur |
Hydrophobia |
Louis Pasteur |
Rabies Vaccine |
Louis Victor de |
Wave/Particle Duality |
Lucretius |
Scientific Thinking |
Lucy Wills |
Vitamin Folic acid |
Ludwig Boltzmann |
Thermodynamics |
Lynn Margulis |
Symbiosis Theory |
Madame Curie |
Radium |
Marcello Malpighi |
Microscopic Anatomy |
Marcony |
Wireless Telegraphy |
Maria Montessori |
Montessori Method |
Marie Curie |
Radioactivity |
Max Born |
Quantum Mechanics |
Max Delbruck |
Bacteriophage |
Max Planck |
Quanta |
Max plank |
Quantum Theory |
Max von Laue |
X-ray Crystallography |
Maxwell |
Electromagnetic Theory |
Meghnad Saha |
Effect of Pressure on |
Mendeleef |
Periodic Law |
Mergenthaler |
Linotype |
Michael Faraday |
Classical Field Theory |
Michael Faraday |
Dynamo |
Michael Faraday |
Electric Generator |
Michael Faraday |
Transformer |
Mosley |
Atomic Number |
Murray Gell-Mann |
Eightfold Way |
N.R.Finsen |
Phototherapy |
Neils Bohr |
Atom |
Newton |
Laws of Gravitation |
Newton |
Laws of Motion |
Nicolaus Copernicus |
Heliocentric Universe |
Nikola Tesla |
Electric Motor (AC) |
Ohm |
Laws of Electrical |
Oho Hahn |
Uranium fusion |
Oliver Lodge |
Wireless Communication |
Otis |
Lift (Elevators) |
Otto |
Internal Combustion |
Otto Hahn, Bohr and |
Nuclear Fission |
Otto von Guericke |
Air Pump |
Parsons |
Steam Turbine |
Pascal |
Adding Machine |
Pascal |
Calculating machine |
Paul Ehrlich |
Chemotherapy |
Paul Gyorgy |
Vitamin B6 |
Pavlov |
Theory of conditioned |
Perkin |
Mauve dye |
Peter Goldmark |
The long playing |
Pierre Simon de |
Newtonian Mechanics |
Plimsoll |
Line of demarcation |
Priestley |
Laughing Gas |
Priestly |
Oxygen |
R.A.Millikan |
Cosmic Rays |
Ramanathan |
Molecular Scattering |
Ramanujam |
In Number Theory |
Ramsay, Travers |
Neon Gas |
Richard Feynman |
Quantum |
Richard Haberkern |
Trackstick, Soundlazer |
Richard Trevithick |
Locomotive |
Robert Koch |
Bacteriology |
Robert Koch |
Cholera Bacillus |
Robert Peary (1909) |
North Pole |
Robert Recorde |
Equal sign (=)? |
Robert Wilhelm Von |
Laboratory Gas Burner |
Roberts Mallet |
Seismograph |
Roentgen |
X – Rays |
Rogei Bacon |
Gun powder |
Rohm Korff |
Induction Coil |
Ronald Ross |
Malarial Parasite |
Rudolf Diesel |
Diesel Engine |
Rudolf Diesel |
Diesel Oil Engine |
Rudolf Virchow |
Cell Doctrine |
Rutherford |
Breaking up the |
S.N.Bose |
Boson |
Salk |
Salk Vaccine |
Samuel Colt |
Revolver |
Samuel Morse |
Telegraph |
Samuel Morse |
Telegraphic Code |
Shalimar |
Paints |
Sigmund Freud |
Psychology of the |
Sir Alexander Graham |
Telephone |
Sir Charles Parsons |
Ship (turbine) |
Sir Ernest Swington |
Tank |
Sir Frank Whittle |
Jet Engine |
Sir George Caley |
Glider |
Sir Humphrey Davy |
Safety lamp |
Sir Isaac Pitman |
Shorthand |
Sir J.A. Fleming |
Valve of radio |
Sir Richard Arkwight |
Spinning frame |
Stephen Hawking |
Quantum Cosmology |
Stephenson |
Railway Engine |
Theodosius Dobzhansky |
Modern Synthesis |
Thomas Alva Edison |
Cinematograph |
Thomas Alva Edison |
Cinematography |
Thomas Alva Edison |
Electric Lamp |
Thomas Alva Edison |
Gramophone |
Thomas Alva Edison |
Movie Projector |
Thomas Hunt Morgan |
Chromosomal Theory of |
Thomas Newcome |
Steam engine (piston) |
Thomas Saint |
Sewing Machine |
Tim Berners Lee |
World Wide Web and |
Trofim Lysenko |
Soviet Genetics |
Tycho Brahe |
New Astronomy |
U.N.Brahmachari |
Kala-azar Fever |
Urey |
Heavy Hydrogen |
Valentine |
Bismuth |
W. L. Judson |
Zip fastener |
W.H. Fox Tablot |
Photography (paper) |
Werner Heisenberg |
Quantum Theory |
Wilhelm Reontgen |
X-ray |
Wilhelm Wundt |
Founding of Psychology |
Willard Libby |
Radioactive Dating |
William Bayliss |
Modern Physiology |
William Burroughs |
Cash register |
William Harvey |
Circulation of the |
William Herschel |
Heavens |
William Hurst |
Safety Pin |
William Murdoch |
Gas lighting |
William Oughtred |
Symbol (x)? |
William Siemens |
Electric Furnace |
William Sturgeon |
Electromagnet |
Wright brothers |
Aeroplane |
While I did update this of famous inventor’s names a bit, the original one can be found HERE

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